Columns

Leap Day rolls around every four years, and I was excited about this year’s Feb. 29. Similar to daylight saving time, when we push our clocks back an hour in the fall, I see the 2020 Leap Day as a 24-hour bonus because it occurred on a weekend. What would I do with a whole extra day? Not only that, but a day where temperatures were predicted to reach 50 degrees, an outdoor warmth we hadn’t…

Question: I see a lot of people that have their fog lights on, and when I am meeting them on the road, some are very bright and make seeing the road very difficult. Some of them appear to be out of alignment and are blinding. What is the law that covers this? Answer: If the fog lights are aimed too high and/or are too bright, they are illegal, even if they are in compliance with the rest of the…

Rock County will celebrate its 150th Anniversary this year. The news will be the history of Rock County, townships, and communities. The following appeared in the Rose History of Rock County, printed in 1911.   County and Township Organization — 1870-1878 (continued from 02-27 edition)   Grant (Clinton)          Grant township, embracing the present precincts of Clinton and Kanaranzi, was created…

I’ve never been a guy that would be described as a bandwagon-jumper. In fact, I normally favor the underdogs when it comes to viewing athletic contests because it’s much more satisfying to see a team buck the odds and pull off an upset. With that being made public, I now have to come clean about something. After taking in the Luverne-Breck girls’ hockey game at the Xcel Energy Center Feb. 19, I…

So February is about in the books for another year. Even with an extra day it seemed to blow by. So to keep you up to speed on my 2020 bucket list accomplishments, here’s where I’m at after two months. First, just to refresh your memory, the list includes wash a load of clothes at the Laundry Room Laundromat; get at least one haircut at five different salons in Luverne; swim in The Lake; attend a…

“Sir?” a voice asked from the golf course. “Sir?” My husband and I were sitting with two friends under a canopy by a pool near a palm tree next to a fairway in Arizona. We all turned toward the voice, expecting to see a golfer asking if we’d seen where a ball landed. Instead, we saw five or six SWAT team members, ARs and handguns drawn, being dragged down the fairway by an enthusiastic German…

Rock County will celebrate its 150th Anniversary this year. The news will be the history of Rock County, townships, and communities. The following appeared in the Rose History of Rock County, printed in 1911.   County and Township Organization — 1870-1878 (continued from 02-20 edition) Luverne          The petition asking for the creation of Rock county’s first township was dated February 15,…

World Day of Prayer will be observed this year at the Luverne United Methodist Church on Friday, March 6, starting at 1:30 p.m. The event is ecumenical in nature and all people are invited and encouraged to attend. So, consider Jesus' parables about prayer in Luke 18. These two parables are sometimes examined separately but are intended to go together. They both deal with questions of "…

I enjoyed taste-testing chili last week at Schomackers Home Galleries where family members (who happen to be business partners) competed for bragging rights to the best recipe. Brothers Joe and Tony Schomacker and their dad, Randy, were chili cooks, and Sharon baked sweets to sell on the side. The whole thing raised money for local charity. To make it more interesting, the three crockpots of…

Question: I have noticed cars that can't be seen in the day when they fail to turn on their lights when it is snowing, raining or foggy. Can you please explain how dangerous it can be and what the law is that covers this? Answer: Minnesota law states that every vehicle on a roadway shall display lighted headlamps, lighted tail lamps, and illuminating devices from sunset to sunrise. The law…

Rock County will celebrate its 150th Anniversary this year. The news will be the history of Rock County, townships, and communities. The following appeared in the Rose History of Rock County, printed in 1911.   County and Township Organization — 1870-1878 (continued from 02-13-2020 edition of Star Herald) The commissioners named by the governor met for the first time at one o’clock on the…

I’m in the process. And let me tell you, it’s been a real process.  If you haven’t heard, our “normal” Minnesota driver’s licenses will no longer qualify as adequate identification for boarding a domestic flight after Oct. 1. At least that’s how I understand it. When my driver’s license renewal notice arrived in December, I realized this was my chance to upgrade to my “real” ID.  I had two months…

Friday is Valentine’s Day. Truth be told, that is not one of my favorite days. Valentine’s Day puts undue pressure on me to be romantic — not one of my strong suits. I can be compassionate, caring and downright sentimental, but romantic not so much. To make matters worse, Mary will find herself sitting in the dentist’s chair to start her day. In the past, I’ve done the standard Valentine gift…

Rock County will celebrate its 150th Anniversary this year. The news will be the history of Rock County, townships, and communities. The following appeared in the Rose History of Rock County, printed in 1911.   County and Township Organization — 1870-1878 (continued from last week’s edition — 02-06 — of the Rock County Star Herald)            A few months after the passage of this act the…

Question: Do I need to obtain the new Real ID and Driver’s License when my license expires? Answer: The Minne-sota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services division (DPS-DVS) began issuing REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and ID cards on Oct. 1, 2018, to comply with the federal REAL ID Act. Minnesotans are not required to obtain a REAL ID driver’s license or ID card; however,…

More than a year ago local readers were introduced to Ryan and Martha Tofteland. The young couple and their children, Finn and Liv, were visiting Ryan’s parents, Steve and Julie Tofteland, and his childhood home in rural Luverne for Thanksgiving 2018. It was a bittersweet visit for the young couple. Two years prior, in August 2016, Ryan was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou…